Flare container



S. WILEY FLARE CONTAINER May 7, 1935.

nv E T1. t nr 5 amual Wilev F'ld March lO, 1934 flum,

Attnw-LEV Patented May 7, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application March 10,

4 Claims.

The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or'for the Government for governmental purposes, without the payment to ine of any royalty thereon.

This invention relates to a flare container.

'Ihe purpose of this invention is to provide 'a container having a detachableV cover controlling the launching of a are within the Icontainer.

Another object of the invention is to provide means whereby a powder charge forcibly removes the cover and ignites a delay charge carried by the are within the container.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention resides in the novel arrangement and combination of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed may be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

A practical embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a View in elevation and partly in section of the improved fiare and container.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view of Fig. 1. I

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional View through the detachable cover.

Figs. 5 and 6 are fragmentary views similar to Fig. 4 and ,showing modifications of the joint of the cover.

The fiare consists of a body of a combustible signaling or illuminating composition 5 disposed in a casing 6 which is connected by means of a cord 1 to a parachute 8. A first flre charge 9 is disposed at the lower end of the composition 5 and is ignited from a plurality of priming charges III-I0. The lower end of the casing 6 is closed by a cap II which'carries a cup I2 containing a delay powder pellet I3.

The foregoing elements of the flare are enclosed in a container I4 which serves as a shipping carton and also as a launching tube. The container is provided with a hook I5 whereby it is supported in a vertical position in an aircraft with its lower portion projecting below the` iloor I6 of the aircraft.

The upper end of the container a permanently attached cover I1.

Referring to Fig. 4 a'ring I8, angled in crosssection, is secured to the lower end of the container by rivets I9 and cooperates with the I4 is closed by 1934, Serial N0. 714,937

of March- 3, 1883, as

margin ofthe container in providing an annular chamber for containing a charge 2| of black powder.

A cover 22 closing the lower end of the container and supporting the flare is formed with 5 a channeled marginal portion 23 closing the annular chamber 20 and is detachably secured to the ring I8 by crimping or staking as indicated at 24. The cover 22 carries a thimble 25 fitting over the cup I2. A conduit 26 leads from 10 the thimble to thechanneled portion 23 of the cover and a quick-match 21 in the conduit provides an ignition relay from the powder charge 2| to the delay pellet I3.

- A tube 28 attached to the container I4 and 15 extending through the ring I8 and into the chamber 20 carries' an electrical igniting device. The igniter consists of a small squib or tubular case filled with powder as indicated at 29 and a pair of wires 30-30 leading from the squib to a 20 source of electric current 3i and including a switch 32;

When the switch is closed to allow current to be passed through the wires 30, the squib 29 is exploded and ignites the powder charge 2I, 25 and the quick-match 21 which relays ignition to the delay pellet I3. The gases from the charge 2I forcibly remove the cover 22 from the container and the flare drops out of the container under the influence of gravity. *The para- 30 chute opens and suspends the illuminating composition 5 which is ignited after a proper time interval by the delay pellet I3. I

In order to take up the shock of recoil of the container I4 when the charge 2l is fired, the ring I8 is preferably supported against the floor I6 of the aircraft.

In the modification shown in Fig. 5 the detachable cover 33 is formed witha channeled marginal portion 34 fitting in an annular chan- 40 nel formed by the lower end 35 of the container and a ring 36 secured thereto.-

In the modication shown in Fig. 6 the container 31 is closed by a plate 38 fitting over and 45 if desired secured to a cap 39 closing the lower end of the illuminant casing 40. The plate 38 is formed with a flange 4I extending over a ring Q2 fixed exteriorly to the container 31. A plate 43 having a channeled portion 44 which coop- 50l out of the container 31.

All joints are sealed with a waterproof cement.

I claim:

1. A container having an annular chamber at its lower end, a powder charge in said chamber, a detachable cover closing the lower end of the container and said chamber and adapted to be forcibly removed from the container on combustion of the powder charge, a.k thimble carried by the cover, a quick-match leading from the thimble to the powder charge, means for igniting the powder charge, a combustible member within the container and supported by the cover, and a delay charge carried by said member and disposed in the thimble of the cover.

2. A container having an annular chamber at its lower end, a powder charge in said chamber, a detachable cover closing the lower end of the container and said chamber and adapted to be forcibly removed from the container on combustion of the powder charge, a combustible member within the container and supported by the cover, a delay charge carried by said combustible member, and means for igniting the powder charge and delay charge.

3. A container, a powder charge at the lower end thereof and separated from the contents of the container so as not to react thereupon, a detachable cover for SAMUEL WILEY.

of the container when 20 

